So I broke a spoke today. The LBS where I go says it MIGHT because of my weight. I have to say I never broke a spoke , never ..even at my weight.
This is my bike, http://www.raleighusa.com/bikes/hybr...ybrid/route-3/
They are fixing the tire for free since I've had it less than a month. She suggested double steel(?) rims. If it breaks again should I? They will set me back a 100 bucks...but it means a solid rim for me I'm all for it.

Homeyba

06-14-11 07:09 PM

Did they bother to tension the wheel properly, (not just true it)???????? If they didn't, go find another shop with someone who knows how to build a wheel properly.

she

06-14-11 07:19 PM

Funny you should mention that. I was wondering the same thing. I'll see what happens after they do it this time. If not theres a few LBSs down the road..a little to the north and south. LOL yes they will be taking care of the wheel, thats what they said anyway.

mthayer

06-14-11 07:20 PM

It sounds like the spoke breaking was a spoke tension issue to me. You have only had the bike a month, and you probably only rode it a 100-200 miles. Have them fix the spoke, and rework the wheel and see if it corrects the issue aabout breaking spokes. If you keep having problems, go to a different shop and have them look at the wheel and get a second opinion before dropping money into new wheels.

she

06-14-11 07:25 PM

Ok I will do that. Thanks. Im picking it up tomorrow.

CliftonGK1

06-14-11 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by she
(Post 12788086)

So I broke a spoke today. The LBS where I go says it MIGHT because of my weight. I have to say I never broke a spoke , never ..even at my weight.
This is my bike, http://www.raleighusa.com/bikes/hybr...ybrid/route-3/
They are fixing the tire for free since I've had it less than a month. She suggested double steel(?) rims. If it breaks again should I? They will set me back a 100 bucks...but it means a solid rim for me I'm all for it.

NEVER buy a wheel from this shop. Take it from a fellow rain rider (NYC gets more rain by volume than we do over here in Seattle); you DO NOT want steel rims. They don't stop for crap once you get a drop of moisture on them, and they tend to "glaze" when hot (pad compound forms a slick sheen on the rim) and again, don't stop for crap. Any shop suggesting steel wheels for an application other than a heavy duty work bike with a coaster brake in a factory should have their truing equipment siezed and sold at auction.

The Weinmann CN520 rim is a 25mm wide 26" single-wall rim. If you want to step up to a stronger, similar looking rim for inexpensive; the Sun CR18 is the way to go. It's available in a 26" version, it's 25.2mm wide (IIRC), double walled, single eyelet. A reputable shop should be able to lace a pair up that will withstand the aftermath of the Zombie Apocalypse and they're around $50/pair for the rims.

Mr. Beanz

06-14-11 07:54 PM

Tell them that you know from your forum friends that the cause of breaking spokes is lack of tension. Ask them to what value did they set the spokes. If they don't know, they suck!:D Or ask them to check the tension there in front of you with the tension meter. Most places, out of laziness or lack of knowledge, true the wheels then tell you the wheel is fine when it's not (lack of tension).

Spokes break because the lack of tension allows play in the spoke at the spoke holes of the hub. Like a hanger wire, bend over and over, eventually breaks. Tension keeps them snug without the play and movement avoiding the dreaded break.

Actually Weinneman rims on your bike were at one time some of the best well known rims on the market. I had them on a tandem supporting two riders and they were good rims.

If you do go with a new wheel in the future, make sure they also readjust the tension at about 300 miles or you will be in trouble again. ;)

Plus, once a wheel reaches the point of breaking spokes, there is no guarantee that other spokes haven't already been stressed to the max. No guarantee the one spoke replacement will make for a good wheel. It's a gamble at this point. Replace a second spoke if needed, then go for the new wheel. But I would make it a point to let the shop know that part of the problem was a lack of tension.

she

06-14-11 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CliftonGK1
(Post 12788849)

NEVER buy a wheel from this shop. Take it from a fellow rain rider (NYC gets more rain by volume than we do over here in Seattle); you DO NOT want steel rims. They don't stop for crap once you get a drop of moisture on them, and they tend to "glaze" when hot (pad compound forms a slick sheen on the rim) and again, don't stop for crap. Any shop suggesting steel wheels for an application other than a heavy duty work bike with a coaster brake in a factory should have their truing equipment siezed and sold at auction.

The Weinmann CN520 rim is a 25mm wide 26" single-wall rim. If you want to step up to a stronger, similar looking rim for inexpensive; the Sun CR18 is the way to go. It's available in a 26" version, it's 25.2mm wide (IIRC), double walled, single eyelet. A reputable shop should be able to lace a pair up that will withstand the aftermath of the Zombie Apocalypse and they're around $50/pair for the rims.

Sorry I just wanted to clarify why I put the question mark next to the suggested steel rims I couldn't remember what the woman said. What she said was double walled rims not steel.

nfmisso

06-14-11 08:37 PM

The rims you have are fine (i am over 300 lbs).

Not only must the spokes be tensioned, they must be STRESS RELEIVED. The process is tension, true, stress relieve, true, stress releive, true, stress relieve, repeating until truing is no longer required. A wheel built this way will never have to be trued again if it is built with enough tension.

After breaking spokes, and the LBS not standing behind it, I learned to rebuild, then build my own wheels.

Most likely all of the spokes will fail shortly in your wheel. Failure is due to fatigue, which happens because the spokes were not tensioned properly at the start. Thus all of the spokes are approaching thier fatigue life. When the next one fails, replace all of the drive (right) side spokes with Wheelsmith DH13 spokes, and all of the nondrive (left) side spokes with Wheelsmith SS14. Tension, true, stress relieve as described above, and the wheel will out live you.